Broom-brace.



s. G. WILSON. I BRooM BRAGE.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.27, 1909.

975,91 6. Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

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S. G. WILSON. BROOM BRAGE. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 27, 1909.

Patented Nov. 15,1910.

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To all whom it 'may concer/n:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN Gr. VILsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a newand useful Broom-Brace, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to brooms and more particularly to an attachmentfor broom heads, the object of which is to produce subst-antially evenwear of the straws, a iexible and spring action during a sweepingoperation and to give long life to a broom.

It further consists of a device which may be readily attached to a broomhead and when in position thereon may be adjusted and shifted to varythe distance from the sweeping end of the broom head and also toregulate the spring` action of the same.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as willbe hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose 4of illustrating` my invention I have shown in theaccompanying drawing one form thereof which is at present preferred byme, since the same has beenfound in practice to give satisfactory andreliable results although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be vari ouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a broom with my novel deviceattached thereto. Fig. 2 represents a perspective of a portion of thedevice. Fig. 3 represents a section on line z2-x, Fig. 7. Fig. lrepresents one of the side spring members. Fig. 5 represents a blank cutto form an attaching clip forming a portion of the device. Fig. 6represents the same ready for attachment to a broom. Fig. 7 represents aside elevation of one of the bracing members. Fig. S represents a planof the same. Fig. 9 represents one of the securing rods detached. Fig.10 represents a reinforcing fastening member. Fig. 11 represents a broomshowing my device in attached position. Fig. 12 represents a detail ofthe attaching device. Fig. 13 represents a section on line y-y, Fig. 5.

Similar numerals of reference indicate Acorresponding parts in thefigures.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 27', 1909.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

serial No. 524,793.

Referring to the drawings :-1 designates a broom head, having securedthereto my novel bracing means, consisting, in the present instance, ofthe plates 2, side clips 3 and spring members 4.

Referring to Fig. 6, one of the attaching clips 3 is shown in detail andconsists of a suitably shaped blank 5 provided with apertures 6 andslots 7, for a purpose to be presently explained. This blank 5 is alsoprovided with an end tongue 8 having a slot 9 cut therein, whereby afinger 10 is formed adapted to coperate wit-h the stitching 11 of thebroom head 1.

12 designates a plurality of lugs, here shown as formed integral withthe blank 5 and adapted to be bent inwardly and form a grippingmeans toengage the straws of the broom head. The blank 5 is shown in Fig. 6formed into the suitable shape for attaching the device to coperate withthe sides or edges of the broom head and as so formed is shown curved onsubstantially the arc of a circle, as will be readily apparent. One ofthese attaching means or clips 3 is secured to each side or edge of thebroom head by passing the tongue S beneath one or more of the rows ofstitching, the finger 10 then being bent out and upward around thestitching of the broom and into close engagement with the face of theclip to hold the latter securely in place. It will be noted, as shown indotted lines Fig. 13, that the tongue. 10 is of suliicient length topermit the same to be turned about any particular row of stitching, asdesired, since it is well known that the number of rows of stitching andthe location of the same varies more or less in different makes ofbrooms. One of the lugs 12 is then bent inward and down over another rowof stitching while the remaining lugs are forced inwardly between thestraws and bent to grip the same fast. The plates 2 are preferably flatand suitably shaped for the purpose intended, being provided in thepresent instance with inwardly turned ends 13, adjacent each of which isan opening 14 adapted to receive a fastening rod 15, which latter passesalong the side of the plate and terminates in a hook 16, which maycoperate with any one of a number of openings 17 formed for purposes ofadjustment. It will of course be understood that there are two of thesefastening rods 15 for each plate 2, each having its respective adjustingopenings. These rods 15 terminate in eyelets or hooks 18 for cooperationwith an adjacent spring meniber. In connection with the rods 15 it willbe noted that suitable stay lugs 19 are struck up from the plate 2,forming suitable openings 20, through which the said rod 15 passes. Thespring members 21 forming an adjustable connection between the rods 15and the clips 3 are here shown as formed of a single piece of wii'esuitably twisted and terminating in fingers 22 normally under tension tobring the same to overlapping positioii. These fingers 22 are adapted tobe passed within a set of the openings 6, the set selected determiningthe position of the plates 2 and the length of the sweeping sui'- faceof the broom.

23 designates a loop portion formed in the spring member 21, the samebeing preferably tapered at one end and formed substantially throughoutits length with a plurality of corrugations 24, with which latter thehook 18 of each rod 15 is adapted to engage.

25 designates a reinforcing clamp preferably formed of wire andterminating in hook ends 26 which are formed for coperation with anopening 27 of each plate 2.

In operation, the clips 3 having been iixedly secured to the broom headby means of the tongue 10 and vlugs 12 engaging the stitching andstraws, as already described, the spring members 21 are placed inposition by springing the fingers 22 apart and inserting them in theproper opening 6, whereupon the rods 15 carrying the plates 2 may besecured in place by snapping the hook 18 in one of the corrugations 24.The effect of so placing the plates is to reduce the thickness of thebroom and cause a spreading action, giving a much wider sweeping surfaceand in order that the plates 2 may not be separated and be more securelyheld during a sweeping operation, the reinforcing clamp 25 is insertedby engaging one of the hooks 26 with an opening 27 of one of the plates2 and turning the clamp 25 so that the opposite hook 26 may be slippedinto the corresponding opening 27 in the other plate, the clamp thenassuming a substantially vertical position, as will be clear from Fig.7.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a complete, unitarystructure well adapted for the purpose intended and by means of whichthe thickness of a broom head is decreased and the sweeping surfaceproportionately increased while the spring evaeie members at each sideafford a resilient means for aiding in the sweeping action.

As wear takes place or for other reasons it is desired to bring theplates 2 nearer to the broom handle the same may readily be shifted byremoving the hooks 18 from one set of corrugations 24 to another, thetapering contour of which permits of adjustment while further adjustmentmay be made by shifting the rods 15 from one aperture 17 ci' the plate 2to another.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character stated, a plurality of clips, means oneach clip for engagement with the stitching of a broom head, a springmember for each clip and adapted to be adjustably connected therewith, aplurality of plates, and means for adjustably connecting each of saidplates with said spring members. j

2. In a device of the character described, a plurality of clips, atongue on each clip for engagement with the stitching of a broom head, aspring member for each clip, and a plurality of plates and means forconnecting said spring members with said plates.

In a device of the character described, a plurality of clips adapted tobe secured to a broom head, each having openings therein at varyingheights, a spring member for each clip, fingers on said spring membersfor coperation with said openings, a plurality of plates and means forconnecting said spring members with said plates.

l. In a device of the character described,

a plurality of clips adapted to be secured to a broom head, a springmember for each clip having a tapered portion, corrugations on saidtapered portion, a plurality of plates, and a plurality of hooks securedto each plate and adapted for engagement with said corrugations.

5. In a device of the character described, a plurality of clips adaptedto be secured to a broom head, a spring member for each clip having atapered portion, corrugations on said tapered portion, a plurality ofplates, a plurality of hooks secured to each plate and adapted forengagement with said corrugations, and a bracing member connecting saidplates.

STEPHEN Gr. WILSON.

Witnesses: l ROBERT M. BARR, C. D. MOVAY.

